Studio flooring choices

Recently I have begun construction on a small studio space. The contractor has already placed the sub-floor and needs to know what I'll be using for the primary. Originally we thought we would use single sheet linoleum but the size of the space (16'x20') prohibits that as linoleum only comes in 12' widths. At least that's what the retailers say. I would love to hear what you all have had success with and get your insights on this.

As far as real linoleum just have them do a seem its clean and seal it well and you will be fine.Pick one that is smooth surface-
Easy to clean.
Most studios I know are cement or sheet plywood painted with heavy duty floor paint-Mine is a combo redwood plank (old school 1973) with newer addition sheet plywood painted with special paint-seems are tight and it mops well-but has some grain to it .
I think you will be pleased with what you have chosen.Beauty shops use it a lot as well.-You can cove up the wall 3 inches to if you want.I like baseboard look better not coved.
Mark

As far as real linoleum just have them do a seem its clean and seal it well and you will be fine.Pick one that is smooth surface-Easy to clean.Most studios I know are cement or sheet plywood painted with heavy duty floor paint-Mine is a combo redwood plank (old school 1973) with newer addition sheet plywood painted with special paint-seems are tight and it mops well-but has some grain to it . I think you will be pleased with what you have chosen.Beauty shops use it a lot as well.-You can cove up the wall 3 inches to if you want.I like baseboard look better not coved.Mark

Thanks Mark,

Floor paint sounds like a good option. I will also investigate sealing the linoleum seams and talk to my contractor about it. He's a hard sell but I really like the ease of cleaning lino.

One last point on Linoleum-they sell it in all different grades-the warranty tells the whole story-go commercial duty with a long warranty as the cheap stuff cuts easy and and will surface degrade sooner. The cost is more as the warranty goes up.The other route is real linoleum( like in the 50s) its widths are less but it holds up best .
If you go the plywood and paint get a hard (oak or birch hardwood skinned) smooth surface plywood not cdx. Again the cost is higher but it will not hold dust when painted and will have a tougher surface under the paint or clear coat finish.
Mark

If you get vinyl flooring buy one that has a good cushion rating your feet and back will thank you. If your going to roll around heavy objects forget the cushion and get a commercially rated vinyl. I have a cement floor and bad feet so I have those gray jigsaw foam mats laid out in front of areas where I stand, it makes it a little harder to clean but well worth it. Denice

Clint, I have a clay sculpture studio, so I don't have to worry about lots of standing water. If your floors stay wet, my solution may not work, but after seeing how easily a needle tool pierced an expensive piece of linoleum, I opted for ceramic tile. I shopped around and found 16" smooth tiles at Lowes for 70 cents a square foot. After buying thinset and the newer stain-resistant grout, my cost stayed under $1 a square foot. I've only been in my studio for a few weeks, but I've been thrilled with the ease of clean-up. Of course, this cost is do-it-yourself, but if your floor is relatively flat, laying the tile is simple. (My cement floor was pockmarked and rippled and unbelievably uneven, so I had to rent a cement-floor grinder first.) I used a 4" side grinder to cut the tiles and even though I chose to lay them on the diagonal, the job went pretty quickly. Unlike linoleum, ceramic tile is incredibly durable and will look pretty much the same in 20 years. Alternatively, there are some really nice finishes for concrete floors now. Just Google "how to finish concrete floors" and you'll find lots of videos and ideas. That would have been my first choice had my floor not been in such bad shape, but I'm very happy with the tile.

I have also seen people use the rubber type flooring systems used by workout facilities. They take the interlocking squares outside and hose them down. The interlocking tiles also make a great slabing surface.

Deb

Hello everyone,

Recently I have begun construction on a small studio space. The contractor has already placed the sub-floor and needs to know what I'll be using for the primary. Originally we thought we would use single sheet linoleum but the size of the space (16'x20') prohibits that as linoleum only comes in 12' widths. At least that's what the retailers say. I would love to hear what you all have had success with and get your insights on this.

I have also seen people use the rubber type flooring systems used by workout facilities. They take the interlocking squares outside and hose them down. The interlocking tiles also make a great slabing surface.

Deb

Hello everyone,

Recently I have begun construction on a small studio space. The contractor has already placed the sub-floor and needs to know what I'll be using for the primary. Originally we thought we would use single sheet linoleum but the size of the space (16'x20') prohibits that as linoleum only comes in 12' widths. At least that's what the retailers say. I would love to hear what you all have had success with and get your insights on this.

Thanks all,Clint

I saw a woodworkers shop where he used the rubber mats with the holes around all of the areas where he stood. However, he glued sheet vinyl/linoleum on to the top with a building mastic. He said the sawdust would gather and never be able to keep things clean, by covering the mat with the Vinyl the problem was solved.

If you are going to have a kiln in the space then you will want to make sure you have a concrete floor/tile floor at least in the area where the kiln is sitting. I would check with kiln supplier for exact specs required.

if I had a choice, I would always prefer unsealed concrete floors with drains integrated into it. this way you can use the floor as a work surface that absorbs moisture. when it's time to clean studio, just hose it down and squeegee it dry. you can always add anti-fatigue mats on top wherever you like to stand.

The kiln must be on a concrete or tile floor, linoleum is flammable and you don't want to expose it to the kiln heat But if you are talking about just the production area, it's fine. I have cement floors but for the sitting/standing area I have rubber matts so my back doesn't suffer and they are easy to clean.

Thank you all for your input. We decided to go with an epoxy sealant/paint and I sealed the wall/floor area with silicone. I will be making a tile heat shield for the kiln to sit on. Again, thanks to all.